Or wisely fearful, or by speedy force Feel their own strength; against the English troops They rise, they conquer, and to their liege Lord Present the city keys. The morn was fair When Rheims re-echoed to the busy hum Assembled. To the holy fabric moves The long procession, thro' the streets bestrewn The siege right bravely; Gaucour, and La Hire, The gallant Xaintrailles, Boussac, and Chabannes, La Fayette, name that Freedom still shall love, The Bastard Orleans, now in hope elate, A dear-beloved brother; gallant men, For they, in the most perilous times of France Clad in her battered arms. She bore on high. * "The Frenchmen wonderfully reverence this oyle; and at the coronation of their Kings, fetch it from the church where it is kept, with great solemnity. For it is brought (saith Sleiden in his Commentaries) by the Prior sitting on a white ambling Palfrey, and attended by his Monkes; the Archbishop of the town (Rheims) and such Bishops as are present, going to the church door to meet it, and leaving for Wafted of yore by milk-white Dove from Heaven, (So legends say) to Clovis, when he stood At Rheims for baptism; dubious since that day, When Tolbiac plain reek'd with his warrior's blood, And fierce upon their flight the Alemanni prest, And reared the shout of triumph; in that hour Clovis invoked aloud the Christian God, And conquered: waked to wonder thus, the Chief Became Love's convert, and Clotilda led t Her husband to the font. The Missioned Maid Then placed on Charles's brow the Crown of France, And back retiring, gazed upon the King One moment, quickly scanning all the past, Till in a tumult of wild wonderment She wept aloud. The assembled multitude it with the Prior some gage, and the King, when it is by the Archbishop brought to the altar, bowing himself before it with great reverence." Peter Heylyn. In awful stillness witnessed: then at once, Lifted their mingled clamours. Now the Maid "King of France !" She cried" At Chinon, when my gifted eye "Knew thee disguised, what inwardly the Spirit "Prompted, I spake-armed with the sword of God "To drive from Orleans far the English Wolves, "And crown thee in the rescued walls of Rheims. "All is accomplished. I have here this day "Fulfilled my mission, and anointed thee Chief Servant of the People. Of this charge, "Or well performed or wickedly, high Heaven "Shall take account. If that thine heart be good, "I know no limit to the happiness "Thou mayest create. I do beseech thee King!" The Maid exclaimed, and fell upon the ground And clasped his knees, "I do beseech thee King! By all the millions that depend on thee, "For weal or woe-consider what thou art, "And know thy duty! if thou dost oppress "Thy people, if to aggrandize thyself "Thou tear'st them from their homes, and sendest them "To slaughter, prodigal of misery! "If when the Widow and the Orphan groan "In want and wretchedness, thou turnest thee "Be filled with woe, and in thy streets be heard Of asking hunger; if at such a time "Thou dost behold thy plenty-covered board, "And shroud thee in thy robes of Royalty, "And say that all is well-Oh gracious God! "Be merciful to such a monstrous man, |